Ember's Escape
by Robert Teague
Summary: Book I of the Ember Trilogy After "Fanning the Flames", Ember is brought back from the Ghost Zone by Vlad Masters, and sent to destroy Danny against her will.
1. Chapter 1

Ember's Escape 

Written by Robert Teague December 2004

This fanfic is written solely for the entertainment of Danny Phantom fans, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter One

Ember McLane, the hard-rockin' ghost girl, wandered aimlessly through the Ghost Zone. She had finally managed to ditch that idiot who had been following her around shouting her name. Now she had nowhere to go, and eternity to get there.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed since that dipstick Halfa and his friends had drained her of power and returned her to the Ghost Zone, but she thought it must be at least several weeks.

She sat down on a convenient rock, and put her head in her hands. The silence here was deafening.  
She missed the noise, the fans, the music, the excitement of concerts. Truth be told, she even missed the feeling of power coursing through her as fans chanted her name. But to her, that was really only a side benefit. Music was her...well, not 'life', but her existence.

She had relished the chance given her to go to the human world and make a name for herself. Her benefactor had shown her the spells that would make humans love her and her music, and give her power. She had not really wanted that, feeling she had the talent to make it on her own. But using the spells or go back to the Ghost Zone were his conditions, so she had agreed.

Looking back on it now, she saw where she had become addicted to the power, and had striven to make the world feed it to her forever. On the very edge of success, along had come the Halfa, his girlfriend, and that other boy with the horrible voice, and stopped her. She was angry that everything had been taken away, but at the same time grateful for having been prevented from doing a great evil.

Her benefactor... she had no way of contacting him from the Ghost Zone, and wasn't sure she wanted to, anyway. He had taken her from the Ghost Zone, arranged the band, the tour, the album releases, the merchandising, the satellite coverage for the last concert, everything. And all he got in return was "money", which didn't interest her in the least. She thought he might be angry at the loss of money going to him, but wasn't sure about it.

Oh, well, it was time to move on. She wanted to find a place to exist, and write her music.  
When and if another opportunity came along, she wanted to be ready.

"Ah, THERE you are!" said a voice behind her.

She stood up and turned around. There before her was her benefactor, Vlad Plasmius.

"Come with me," he said, beconing, "We have unfinished business."

Without waiting for an answer, or to see if she were following, he flew off. She watched him go, then shrugged, and took off after him. Sometime later she saw something in the distance that he was heading for. It was a portal! She was going back to the human world! Maybe he wasn't mad after all!

He passed through the portal and she followed, finding herself in his mansion in Wisconsin. He flew up through the ceiling, and again she followed. She found herself in his study, where he returned to human form. She materialized and looked around. There was a large desk in front of her, and the room was filled with bookcases and arcane tomes. He sat behind the desk, and motioned her to a chair.

"So," he said, "Things didn't turn out so well."

"No sir," she agreed in a tiny voice, "Are you mad at me?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad?" his voice rose in volume. "Just because you've lost your fanbase,  
and cost me millions in unsold merchandise, albums, and endorsements. Not to mention getting your butt kicked on international television!"

"Sorry..." she said, huddling into herself.

He started to say something, when suddenly something clicked inside her.

She stood up. "Wait a minute...I just realized something..." It was her turn to get angry.

He sat back in his chair, waiting.

She pointed at him. "YOU organized the tour, and decided what cities to visit. I wondered why the last venue was such a small town, and even had a stop at a local high school!" She leaned over his desk, staring at him with her electric green eyes. "You KNEW the Halfa was there! You WANTED us to fight!"

Vlad applauded politely, grinning. "Congratulations! You figured it out! And even with all that power collected from your screaming fans, he still beat you!"

"You never cared about me, my music, or my career! You just used me to get at him!" she added.

"Sad but true," he admitted, spreading his hands.

"What do you want with him, anyway?" she asked.

"Not your business," he replied, frowning, "But I'll tell you what you should be concerned about. You're going back to Amity Park and finish what you started."

"WHAT!!" she shouted, taken aback, "No way! I'm a musician, not a fighter! I'd rather go back to the Ghost Zone than face him again!" She crossed her arms and turned her back on him.

"Oh, I think you'll change your mind," he said, mildly.

"Hmmph... doubt it," said Ember.

There was a movement, and she felt something around her neck. Suddenly, PAIN!! It centered at her neck, and spread rapidly through her ectoplasm. It was horrible! She had never felt anything like it. She staggered away from him, grasping at her throat, and screamed. She touched something, and bolts of pain shot through her fingers. She yanked them away, screaming again.

"What is this? What did you do? Take it off, take it off, now!" she yelled, "It hurts!"

"Why, it's just a little present," he said, grinning evilly, "A necklace that goes nicely with your costume." He leaned toward her. "A necklace made of cold iron!" He laughed.

Despite the pain, Ember stood still, her eyes wide. "IRON?!" she shouted, "Are you insane? Get it off me!" She grasped at the necklace again, but the pain was too great to hold on to it.

"Have you reconsidered what I want you to do?" he asked, cocking his head slightly.

"What? Fight the Halfa again?" she asked, confused from the pain.

"That's right," he said, nodding.

She rapidly decided she didn't have a choice.

"Okay, okay, you win!" she conceded, "I'll do it. Now get this thing off me! It burns!"

"I'll CONSIDER taking it off, AFTER you've beaten the Halfa!" he said, "And not before." He turned his back on her, and went to his desk.

Ember went intangable, but the necklace didn't fall off. She tried phasing through the floor,  
but was stopped when the necklace reached it. Nothing she did dislodged it. Vlad sat behind his desk and laughed at her.

Finally he stood up. "Well, that was fun, but I have work to do. Come with me." He hooked a finger in the necklace, and pulled, which caused it to touch her solidly, and she screamed again. He dragged her out the door and down the corridor to another room. She struggled the entire way, trying to resist, and at the same time not let the necklace touch her. Opening the door he dragged her inside.

It was an eight by eight by eight room, all white and well insulated.

"This room is soundproofed," he said, "You'll be able to spend the hours before night getting used to the pain. Feel free to scream and cry. You won't disturb anyone else." He turned to go.

She suddenly noticed an object in the other corner; a box about two feet square, and five feet high.

"Uh, what's that?" asked Ember, nervously, trying not to scream again when the necklace shifted.

"Oh, this?" asked Vlad, stepping over to it, "It's what is waiting for you if you fail. It's inch thick iron with no seams. I'll put you in it, fill it with scrap iron, and weld it closed."

He turned to her, and spoke softly. "You will know nothing but pain and darkness, forever!"

If Ember had been living, she would have died on the spot. "No..." she whimpered, cowering away from the box, and her captor.

Vlad stepped to the door, then turned to her. "And you know what? No one will remember your name." He laughed, and closed the door behind him.

The hours were long and slow in that room. Ember did cry, and scream. She tried to grasp the necklace and see if it could be removed, but the pain was too great to touch it for more than a second. She kept looking at the box, and imagining being inside it filled with iron. If one small necklace caused her that much pain, it was unimaginable what that box would do.

She sat in the corner, as far from the box as possible, and gave up to complete misery.

She was a slave. That had become clear. Forced to obey that horrible half-human's commands.  
The irony that she had nearly enslaved the humans was not lost on her. Maybe this was her payback. She started crying again, and her ectoplasmic tears drifted away from her, blinking out of existance.

Without her guitar, and the power fed her from fans, she knew she had no chance against the Halfa. Surely Vlad knew that too. Why was he forcing her to fight again? It didn't make any sense. Whatever the outcome, her future was bleak.

Finally, she hoped it was near time for her release so she could go to Amity Park and get this over with. All she could do was wait.

"Hello," said a voice behind her. She turned rapidly, causing the necklace to shift again, and she whimpered.

There was another ghost in the room with her, dressed like a king.

"Who are you?" she asked, trying not to touch the necklace.

"I'm the Dairy King, don't ya know," he replied.

"Can you get this necklace off of me?" asked Ember, hopefully.

"No, lass, I can't touch it, don't ya know," he replied, shaking his head. "But I am here to help you. You're not evil, and certainly don't deserve..." he shuddered, pointing at the box,  
"That."

He handed her a folded piece of paper. "When you leave, take that with you," he said.

"What is it?" she asked, holding it.

"It's the only spell capable of keeping you out of Vlad's clutches, don't ya know," was the reply. "Take it to a human you trust, and have them cast it."

"Trust a human? HA!" said Ember, bitterly, "Trusting a human got me into this."

"Then give it to the Halfa," said the King, "I've met him, and he's a good lad. He will help you."

"But..." said Ember.

"He's coming, got to go, don't ya know," said the King, "Put that away safe!" He floated through the wall, and was gone.

Ember barely had time to shove the paper down into her boot, before the door opened.

"It's time. Ready to go?" asked Vlad, stepping aside for her to pass.

"Yes, 'Master'," she spat.

He grinned at her. "Right words, wrong attitude," he answered.

Ember shrugged, and waited for him to lead her to whereever.

She followed him to the front door, and they went outside. Night had fallen, and the cool of the evening was present. Stars were overhead, but no moon.

"Amity Park is southeast of here," said Vlad, pointing, "And about a hundred and fifty miles.  
You should be there by morning. And remember what is waiting if you fail."

Ember closed her eyes and shuddered. Then she flew up and away from the mansion, and the evil Halfa watching her go.

"Come right back here when you're finished," he called. She waved to acknowledge the command,  
and flew into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two 

The next morning was Saturday, and the day found three friends, Danny Fenton, Tucker Foley, and Sam Manson, sitting on the steps to Sam's home in Amity Park.

Danny and Sam were discussing an upcoming test. Tucker had gotten bored, and was listening to his MP3 player. Specifically, Ember's song "You Will Remember". That was fine until he started singing to it. Sam and Danny looked at him sourly, and Tucker noticed.

"What?" he said, pulling off the headphones.

"Why are you still playing that, when you consider what we had to go through to beat her" asked Danny.

"Hey, I LIKE her music," answered Tucker.

Suddenly, Danny's ghost sense went off, and he stood up.

"Well, it's nice to know I still have ONE fan," said a female voice behind them. They turned, and on the steps above them, was Ember, looking at Tucker. "Too bad he has one of the worst singing voices I've ever heard."

"You know, if you want to KEEP your fans, you shouldn't talk about them like that," said Tucker.

"I'm going ghost!" said Danny, changing. Tucker and Sam stood up.

"What do you want, Ember?" asked Sam, crossing her arms, and looking at her with an angry expression.

Ember sighed. "To get this over with," she replied, and blasted Danny with ectoplasmic energy.

Danny recovered from the blast, and flew up above the houses. Ember took off, and joined him there.

Tucker and Sam watched the areial dogfight, unable to help. Sam looked thoughtful.

"I think something's wrong with Ember," she said.

"Sure there is, she's attacking Danny!" replied Tucker.

"No, something else. Didn't you notice her expression? I think she's in pain," said Sam.

Tucker looked at her. "What could cause a ghost pain?" he asked.

"I don't know, but I think we'd better find out," she replied, and took off running down the street to keep the fighters in view. Tucker followed.

Overhead, Ember sent bolt after bolt at Danny, desperation giving her strength. Danny dodged, or blocked the blasts, waiting for her to tire so he could counter-attack. The bolts weren't particularly stong, and he had no trouble fending them off. He deliberately flew toward a warehouse district, which would be unoccupied for the most part on Saturday, to try and keep this battle private.

The two of them played hide-and-seek between and through the buildings, trying to get open shots at the other. The few humans around were startled, to say the least, at a ghost passing through.

Finally, Ember managed to sneak up on Danny, who was peeking around the corner of a building, and blasted him in the back. He fell to the ground, just as Sam and Tucker arrived. Sam stood over Danny, and looked up at Ember, who was aiming another blast.

"Ember, wait!" shouted Sam, holding up a hand. Both Danny and Tucker thought it was the bravest thing they had ever seen.

Ember's hands were glowing green, but the effect faded, and she lowered them. "What?" she yelled back.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Sam, "Why are you attacking Danny?"

"Look, I don't WANT to, but I don't have any choice," she answered, "My so-called manager has made me into a slave, and I have an eternity of pain waiting if I don't BLAST HIM!" she said, launching ectoplasmic bolts at them.

Sam dove out of the way, as Danny phased through the ground. The bolts splashed harmlessly on the concrete.

Sam stood up. "You look like you're in pain now," she said.

Ember flew lower and closer. "You see this necklace?" she asked, pointing at it, "See it? It's made of IRON, and it HURTS! And the only chance I have of getting it off, is if I BEAT HIM!" She launched another bolt at Danny, which missed, and almost got Tucker.

"HEY!" yelled Tucker, "I'M your fan here, remember?"

Sam took a step forward. "If you stop attacking Danny, I'll take it off," she said.

Ember flew down, and got within inches of Sam's face. "Don't play me, human," she hissed, "Do you have any idea what I could do to you?"

Sam gulped, but held her ground. "I'm serious," she said.

Ember landed, a faint ray of hope on her face, conflicting with suspicion. Tucker walked up, as Danny drifted up.

"Ember," said Tucker, "If Sam says something, you can depend on it."

"Yeah," said Danny, "We'll help you if we can."

"All you have to do is trust me for one minute," said Sam.

Suddenly Ember's face hardened. "Right. Sure. Like I can depend on the word of a human."

"Well, then let me try," said Danny, reaching for her.

"Don't be stupid, dipstick. You can't touch it," said Ember, turning towards him.

Danny touched the necklace, and screamed. He yanked his fingers away from it, and examined them for damage.

"See?" she asked sweetly.

"Wow," said Danny, looking at the ghost girl with more respect, "And that's what it's doing to you all the time?" He transformed back to human form.

Ember grimaced. "Yes."

"Evil or not, you don't deserve that," said Danny.

Ember looked at him. "I'm not evil," she said.

"Like nearly taking over the world isn't evil," said Tucker.

Ember looked down, ashamed. "I admit I've done some evil things, but I was tricked into them!" She looked at Danny. "Can't you tell?"

"The only way I have to judge you is by your actions," said Danny, shrugging.

"But you're the Halfa!" said Ember, "No ghost can hide its true nature from you."

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Danny, confused.

Ember whispered into Danny's ear for a minute.

"Really? It sounds simple enough," said Danny.

"Try it," said Ember, stepping back from him.

Danny looked at her intensely.

"What do you see?" asked Tucker.

"It's not something I can put into words," Danny answered slowly, "But she's telling the truth. She ISN'T evil. That necklace needs to come off."

"Wow, a new ghost power," said Tucker.

"Please, Ember, let me help," said Sam.

Ember considered. What, really, did she have to lose? She couldn't beat the Halfa, and she didn't want to go into the box. She couldn't imagine anything these humans could do to her that would be worse.

"All right...Sam...I'll trust you. For one minute," said Ember. She stood still and waited.

"Okay..." said Sam, approaching Ember. She touched the necklace, and nothing happened. The touch shifted the necklace against Ember, and she whimpered.

"Sorry," said Sam, "I'll be careful."

She walked slowly around Ember twice, looking closely at the necklace, before she found the clasp.

"Got it," said Sam, and with a motion, removed it.

Ember moaned loudly in relief, closed her eyes, brought her hands to her throat, and sank to her knees.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," murmured Ember, rubbing her neck. She looked up at Sam and smiled. "You kept your word. Thank you."

Sam smiled and offered Ember her hand. "Glad to help."

Ember hesitated, then took the proffered hand, and stood up. Ember noted Sam's warmth, and Sam noted that, while Ember's hand felt like flesh, it was cold.

"I guess we should send you back to the Ghost Zone," said Danny, pulling out the Fenton Thermos.

Ember looked at him, panic on her face. "NO! Please, don't!" she begged, "He'll find me!"

"Maybe we should go somewhere private, and talk," suggested Tucker.

"Uh, maybe I should just go," said Ember, uncertainly.

"Where?" asked Tucker.

"I don't know. I'll just run and hide for as long as I can," she said.

"Don't do that," said Danny, "We said we'd help you, and we will."

"But why?" asked Ember, "Don't the two of you hate me for what I did to you?"

Danny and Sam looked at each other and blushed. "We don't hate you. We were mad at you, but our friendship is stronger than that. And now you need help," said Danny.

"Then... you forgive me?" asked Ember in a small voice, clasping her hands together and looking down at her feet.

"Yes," said Danny.

"Yes," said Sam.

"You really didn't do anything to me, but I'll forgive you too, if it will help," said Tucker.

They looked at him, and he shrugged.

Ember smiled shyly, and ectoplasmic tears drifted away from her. "I've had humans love me and adore me, but never be friendly to me, and want to help me," she said.

"Come on, let's get something to eat, and go talk," said Tucker.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three 

Danny and Tuck stopped by the Nasty Burger, while Sam went next door to the Ultra-Recyclo-Vegetarian Store. Ember went in with her, but got nothing but a bottled water, which Sam paid for.

They went to the park, and Sam led them to a secluded spot in a grove of trees. "I come here now and then, when I want privacy to think and relax," she said. It was a rather pretty spot, with huge trees surrounding them, and some patches of flowers. The sounds of other people came faintly to their ears.

They settled down on a fallen log and ate, while Ember sipped her water.

"Ember, do ghosts eat regular food?" asked Tucker.

"Some can, but I'm not one of them," she answered, "Water restores lost ectoplasm for me."

"You know," said Danny, "I've met a lot of ghosts. But any talking has been nothing but banter or making battle plans. This is the first time I've actually sat and TALKED to a ghost."

Ember smiled. "This is new for me, too," she answered, "In the Ghost Zone, many ghosts are either evil, stupid, or obsessed with their unfinished business in the human world. So I never had any friends."

Sam paused between bites of her veggie plate. "You do now," she said. Danny and Tucker nodded.

Ember turned invisible, leaving the bottle of water floating in midair, and the paper visible.

"Uh, Ember?" asked Sam, looking at where she had been.

"Sorry," the ghost girl replied, slowly turning visible again, "I got embarassed."

"So, tell us what's going on," said Danny, quickly changing the subject.

"I was in the Ghost Zone, writing and practicing my music, when I was approached by someone who's a Halfa, like you," she said, pointing at Danny.

"Vlad Masters, a-k-a Vlad Plasmius?" Danny asked.

Ember was surprised. "You know him? He certainly knows you."

"Oh, yeah. Long story, tell you another time," answered Danny. "Go on."

Ember took the next hour telling them her story, ending with her enslavement by Masters, the threat of the iron box, and being sent to Amity Park to beat Danny.

"So, what about this spell?" asked Tucker.

Ember hesitated. "Well... okay. The Dairy King said I could trust Danny, so..." she pulled the paper from her boot, and handed it to Danny. She looked at Sam. "I already trust you."

"Thanks!" said Sam, stepping around to read over Danny's shoulder. Tucker took a spot over his other shoulder.

The three read the spell, then the notes the Dairy King had written about it.

"Ember, do you know what this says?" Sam asked, studying a particular paragraph.

"No, I never had a chance to read it," was the answer.

"I quote," said Sam, "'The ghost who is affected by this spell will become the property of the human who casts it. That way, you are safe from Vlad, as he can no longer hold you against the will of the human.'"

Ember looked stricken. "I'll be a slave again?" she asked quietly, and began thinking of how to get the spell away from them before...

Danny handed the paper back to Ember, and sat down again.

Ember returned the paper to its place in her boot. She was surprised. She had expected the humans to betray her and cast the spell at once. Many ghosts, seeing the chance for power, would have. Her trust seemed to be well-placed.

"Man, you can't OWN people," said Tucker, "That's bogus."

Ember looked at him seriously with her electric green eyes. "But I'm not a person," she said, "I'm a ghost."

Tucker grinned. "That's WHAT you are, not WHO you are," he said, "And as far as I'm concered, you're just as much a person as anyone else. Even more so, since I'm getting to know you."

Ember faded, but didn't quite disappear. "Thanks, Tucker," she said, "You've just joined the very short list of humans I trust."

Tucker blushed a bit. "Thanks," he said.

"I don't think this spell will be necessary," said Danny thoughtfully, "We should be able to protect her, working together." He looked at them. "But Plasmius is very tough. He's the only ghost I haven't been able to beat cleanly."

"I agree," said Sam, "We should only use it as a very last resort."

"Makes sense," said Tucker.

"It's starting to get late," said Danny, standing up. "What are we going to do about tonight?"

"Tonight?" asked Tucker.

"Where's Ember going to stay?" he explained, "She can't stay with me, since my parents are ghost hunters."

"You know I don't have any spare room," said Tucker, "Or she'd be welcome."

"I can spend the night drifting around the town," said Ember, "I promise to come back in the morning."

"That's too dangerous," said Danny, "My parents go on patrol at night, and they've got some equipment that can seriously hurt or destroy you."

"You can stay with me," said Sam, putting her hand on Ember's shoulder, "I've got a guest room you can use."

"Hey, a Goth and a Ghost together. Perfect," said Tucker.

Sam and Ember looked at each other, and grinned. "He's got a point," said Ember.

"Yeah," agreed Sam, "And for once it's not just the one on his head."

"HEY!" said Tucker.

They all laughed and left the grove.

They parted company at Sam's house, just as dark was falling.

Ember turned invisible and followed Sam inside. Sam motioned toward the stairs, and murmured "Third door on the left." She went into the dining room for dinner.

Afterwards, she got a bottled water from the refrigerator, and went upstairs to her room.

She found Ember at the computer, doing a web search about herself. Sam set the bottle down by her, and Ember looked up. "Thanks! I hope you don't mind," she said, gesturing at the computer, "I wanted to know what people thought about my last concert."

"It's fine," said Sam, and went to do her homework.

Afterwards, the two spent several hours sitting on Sam's bed, talking. Sam discovered that Ember's experiences in the human world had been limited to concert-related activities, and she had little idea of life beyond it. She had met and talked to very few humans; promoters and businessmen all. They had all been out for money and power, so much like the ghosts she had known. No wonder she didn't trust easily.

Finally, it was time for bed. "C'mon," said Sam, getting up, "I'll show you to your room."

Ember grabbed the bottle of water, and followed her to the next door down. Inside was a nice bedroom.

"Do you sleep?" asked Sam.

"No, but I do enjoy quiet and dark. It gives my mind a chance to rest," replied Ember, putting the bottle on the side table. "Sometimes it gives me inspiration for new songs." She opened the drawer, and put the paper with the spell in it. It was a relief not carrying around a material object. She had to remember it was there when she went intangible or invisible.

"Well, like Danny said, I wouldn't recommend you go outside tonight, because of his parents. But if you need me, I'm just the next room over," said Sam. "Good night."

She turned to go, but suddenly found Ember's arms around her, and felt Ember's chin on her shoulder. She stiffened. "Wha-" she said, thinking Ember was going to do something horrible to her. The necklace was in her pocket. If she could reach that...

"Thank you for freeing me, Sam," said Ember, softly, "I like you, and I trust you, and I've never had that before. It's a nice feeling, having friends."

Sam smiled and relaxed. "I like you, and I trust you too, don't forget," she said.

Ember tightened her grip for a second, then let go. "Good night, Sam. I'll try not to go all poltergeist on you."

Sam grinned. "That would be appreciated."

Sam left, closing the door behind her. Ember looked at her arms. The heat from the living girl had been wonderful. She could have basked in it forever.

Sam walked back to her room, thinking that Ember's cold had felt good. Her parents always kept the house too warm to suit her.

At three o'clock the next morning, a green cloud swirled in midair over Amity Park. The elder Fentons had long since finished patrol and gone home, so nobody saw it. Vlad Plasmius appeared, and looked around. Where was the one he had sent here?

He flew around town, next to every building, although he avoided the Fenton house. After an hour of searching, his ghost sense went off next to a house. He looked in each window until finally found who he had been searching for.

Ember was lying on a bed, eyes closed, and a small smile on her lips. She was obviously not wearing the necklace. But why was she here, instead of back in the Ghost Zone, or at the Fentons? He flew to the next window and looked in. Ah, that explained it. Samantha Manson, Daniel's good friend. Ember was being treated as a guest, which meant that everything was going according to plan.

He grinned evilly, and flew up into the night. The green swirling cloud reappeared, and he disappeared into it.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four 

The next morning, Ember phased through the wall into Sam's room just as she was putting on her shoes.

"Hello," she said, and Sam jumped.

"You startled me," Sam said.

"Oh, I guess I should have said, 'Boo!' then," answered Ember.

"Don't stereotype yourself," said Sam, but she was smiling. "Say, would you like to try on some different clothes?"

Ember looked down at herself. She was still wearing her concert outfit, although she had removed the makeup. "Why?"

"To be less noticable. It will probably help, since we're going to protect you," was the reply. Sam went over to her closet, and pulled out an outfit. "How about this?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I don't want material things all over me," said Ember, "I can change my clothes. Just make some suggestions."

Forty-five minutes later, they decided on a black tank top, with a black short-sleeve shirt open over it, black jeans, and dark gray sneakers and belt. As a final touch she added black fingerless gloves. She looked very "Goth-y". Ember refused to change her hairstyle or electric blue hair color, though.

Sam picked up the necklace Ember had been wearing. Ember gasped, and stepped away from her.

"Wh-what are you going to do with that?" she asked, fearfully. She got ready to run through the nearest wall, if Sam tried to put it back on her.

"Nothing," said Sam, putting it in her pocket, "It may come in handy, if Plasmius attacks." She looked at Ember. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you with it." She put a hand toward Ember, who shied away. "Don't worry, I'd never put it on you."

Ember didn't look very reassured.

"If it will make you feel better, I'll leave it here," said Sam.

"Yeah, it would," said Ember.

Sam opened a drawer in her side table, dropped the necklace in it, and closed it. "Better?"

Ember looked relieved. "Yes. Thank you."

Soon they were on their way to Tucker's.

Tucker and Danny were waiting for them on the steps. Suddenly Danny's Ghost Sense went off. "I guess that's them," he said.

"Yep, here they come," said Tucker, looking down the street.

"Wow, Ember, you look great!" said Tucker as the girls arrived.

"Thanks," said Ember, "It was Sam's suggestion."

"What now, O Fearless Leader?" asked Sam, looking at Danny.

"I dunno," said Danny, "I guess it's a waiting game until he shows up."

They spent the day showing Ember around Amity Park, and ended up at the amusement park. They took her on many of the rides, which she enjoyed, and last through the Haunted House. Danny and Sam sat together, and Tucker and Ember shared a car. They kept watching Ember's reaction to the ride, but it mostly consisted of a "you have GOT to be kidding me" expression.

The day came to a close, and the friends arrived back at Tucker's house.

"Before we go our separate ways," Danny said to Ember, "I've got something for you." He went into Tucker's house and came out with a familiar object.

"MY GUITAR!!" shouted Ember, taking it. She immediately began checking the tuning. "Where did you get it?"

"After we fought at your concert, I kinda kept it as a souvenier. But it's yours, and I want you to have it back," answered Danny.

"Oh, thank you!" said Ember, and hugged Danny tightly. Sam felt a small pang of jealosy, even though she understood perfectly.

A few minutes later, they parted for the night.

Vlad Plasmius had been nearby all day, watching them. He was careful to stay invisible, and out of range of Danny's Ghost Sense. He was pleased at the progress of events. As expected, Danny and his friends had felt sorry for the poor little ghost girl, and were going to "protect" her. He never had any intention of sealing Ember in the iron box; it was merely a threat to elicit sympathy and obedience. Besides, she would not exist long enough to be put into it. He was going to teach Danny a hard, harsh lession that he couldn't save everyone, and therefore shouldn't save anyone, but instead use his powers for his own ends. He would leave them alone for the time being, and then strike. The swirling green fog appeared by him, and he was gone.

Over the next two weeks, Ember slipped into their lives and routines like she had always been there.

She was introduced to Sam and Tucker's parents, who accepted her as their children's friend. As it appeared that Ember was always visiting Sam, it became routine for Ember to "leave" the house through the front door about nine o'clock, then fly back in though Sam's window.

Sam bought Ember some pads of blank music sheets, so she could write and practice for an eventual comeback. Ember was careful not to practice when Sam wasn't around, though. No sense worrying her parents with strange music...

Then, cautiously, they introduced her to Jazz and Danny's parents.

Jazz recognized her instantly, as she had been at the concert, but said nothing to expose her. 'If Danny is keeping company with this ghost girl, he must have a good reason,' she thought, 'but I'd better keep an eye on things.'

"Great Scott!" said Jack Fenton, "That girl is as pale as a ghost!" He grabbed the Power Gloves and slipped them on, getting ready to grab Ember.

Sam stepped between him and Ember and said, "She's pale because she's a Goth, like me."

"Oh. Goth. Right. Gotcha," said Jack. Then he leaned down and whispered to Sam, "But if she ever exibits ghost-like behaviour, be sure to let me know."

Sam eyed him. "I'll be sure to do that, Mr. Fenton," she said.

"Good girl!" he said.

Sam rolled her eyes, and went upstairs with the others.

She went to school with them, wandering the halls and meeting students, or invisibly sitting in on classes. Nobody seemed to recognize her. She protected them from Dash and his cronies,  
causing inexplicable things to happen whenever they tried being mean, until Dash had gotten discouraged, and left them alone.

Once, Tucker forgot a textbook, and Ember flew to his house and got it for him, unasked. Tucker was surprised, but thankful.

Saturday found them back in the grove in the park, eating lunch.

"You know, Ember, it's been great getting to know you," said Tucker, "You've gone from being an enemy to being a good friend."

"I think so too," added Danny, "Especially the way you've taken care of Dash and those jocks."

Ember's ponytail stirred and grew a couple of inches, and she smiled. The three humans looked at her.

"Say, are you getting power from us?" asked Danny, pointing at her hair.

Ember looked embarrassed. "Yeah," she confessed, looking down.

Danny, Sam, and Tucker stood up, glaring at her. Ember looked up at them, worried.

"Why are you doing that?" asked Tucker, crossing his arms and frowning, "I thought you were a friend, and now I find out you're stealing energy from us."

"Please don't be mad at me," she pleaded, "I'm not using any spells on you, and I'm not taking any more than you're sending out. I absorb feelings about me, it's part of my nature. I can't stop any more than you can stop breathing."

"I thought water restored you," said Sam.

"It restores my ectoplasm, not my energy," said Ember.

"Oh, so THAT'S why you've been so friendly and helpful," said Danny, "We're just batteries to you."

"Danny, no!" said Ember. She quickly moved from a sitting position to on her knees before them. "You're the first friends I've ever had. I would never do anything to hurt any of you."

"Then why didn't you say something about it?" asked Tucker.

"I- it never occurred to me," was the reply, "Like I said, it's part of my nature."

Danny sat down. "I'm sorry, you're right. I should have realized you do that. It's like Ms. Spectra, absorbing teen misery."

Sam and Tucker sat down.

"I guess," said Tucker, "I'm sorry to have doubted you. You are a good friend."

"I'm sorry too," added Sam, "I still trust you."

"Thanks," said Ember, resuming her place on the log, "And I'll try not to keep any more secrets from you."

"I do have a question, though," said Tucker, "Why did your hair grow that much from just the three of us, when it took an entire room full of fans to do so before?"

Ember smiled. "The power from genuine emotions is a lot greater than from spell-forced."

One evening, the ghost girl who wanted to go to the ball showed up. Danny pulled out the Fenton Thermos, but Ember stopped him. "Wait," she said, putting her hand on Danny's shoulder, "She's harmless. Instead of just trapping her, why not give her what she wants?"

So they organized an impromptu "ball" in Sam's rec room. With some persuasion, Tucker agreed to be her escort. They all dressed formally for the occasion. They played music and danced, and had snacks and drinks.

At the stroke of midnight, the girl turned to them. "Thank you, Sir Tucker," she said, and kissed him on the cheek. "And thank you all for this lovely time. You have fulfilled my dream, and now I can rest." She faded away to greenish smoke, and was gone.

"She won't be back," said Ember, smiling. Tucker stood there with a silly grin on his face,  
and a hand on the cheek she had kissed.

The boys left after helping clean up.

Sam and Ember went upstairs. "That was a good thing you did," said Sam.

Ember looked embarrassed. "We all did it," she said modestly.

Sam stopped by her door, and Ember went on to the next one.

"Ember?" said Sam, and the ghost girl looked at her. "Would you like to move into my room, with me?"

Ember stared at her.

"You don't take up much room; all you need is space for your guitar and sheet music," said Sam, hurrying her speech, "And you haven't even messed up the bed in there. And I've got a queen size bed in my room, not that you'll need it, since you don't sleep..."

Sam suddenly realized Ember was hugging her tightly, while ectoplasmic tears drifted away. "Yes, yes, yes, yes," said Ember softly. "I'll be the best roommate ever. I'll be quiet, and stay out of your way, and guard you while you sleep, and be a companion when you want one..."

"Okay, okay," said Sam, laughing to cover the tears in her own eyes, "Go get your stuff."

And the friendship between the Ghost and the Goth reached a new level.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five 

Saturday morning was gloomy. A pall hung over Amity Park, leaving everyone feeling antsy. The four friends were convinced that something was going to happen today. They wandered around town, watchful, but nothing happened. The feeling of impending doom closed in.

They decided to go to the grove for lunch. That way they could keep watch, but still be somewhat concealed.

The grove was quiet. Few people were around, and the birds were silent. They ate lunch saying very little.

They had just finished dropping trash into a nearby can, when suddenly Ember looked around alertly. "Did you hear that?" she asked.

The other three listened. "Hear what?" asked Tucker.

Ember closed the cap on her bottled water and stood up, still listening. Suddenly her face showed fear. "Oh, no..." she whispered.

"What?" asked Danny and Sam at the same time.

"It's HIM! He's CALLING me!" she replied.

"I don't hear..." said Sam.

"It must be a ghost power I don't have yet," Danny said.

"I've got to go to him," said Ember, preparing to fly. Suddenly she stopped and looked at them. "I just realized I'm still his slave," she said, "I'll never be free." Her eyes teared up.

"NO WAY!" said Tucker. "You're a free girl. Um, ghost. Er, ghost girl. Anyway, you don't belong to anyone!"

"You don't have to go," said Sam.

"Yes, I do. The call is getting stronger. I can't resist," said Ember, looking up through the trees.

"Ember, concentrate on staying solid," said Sam, "That way we can keep you here." She grabbed Ember's left arm and took her hand, while Tucker took the other side.

"I- I'll try," said Ember, worriedly, "But it's getting harder not to answer."

Suddenly Danny's Ghost Sense went off. "I'm going ghost!" he shouted, and changed. Danny flew up above the trees and looked around. Nothing. He flew back down to them.

Ember had closed her eyes, and hunched down, trying not to go.

"You can do it. Stay here with us," said Sam.

"Your friends are with you," said Tucker, gripping tighter.

"I- I- I CAN'T!" she shouted. She turned intangible and slipped through Sam and Tucker's hands, flying upwards past Danny.

"EMBER!! NO!" shouted Sam and Tucker together.

Danny followed her through the trees and into the open air where he lost her. "Where'd she go?" he muttered, looking around again. Suddenly a feeling hit him. He looked up. There she was, nearly to someone else... it was Vlad! He took off in that direction as fast as he could fly.

"So, you've failed me again," said Vlad to Ember, "Are you ready for the box?"

"NO!!" shouted Ember, "Please, don't do that to me!" she drifted away from him.

"I always keep my promises, little slave-ghost," he replied, and reached for her.

"Danny, help!" shouted Ember.

"Back off, jerk," said Danny, flying between them, "She's not going anywhere with you."  
Ember flew up behind him, and put her hands on his shoulders, peeking at Vlad.

"Ah, Daniel. So nice to see you again," said Vlad. 'Excellent,' he thought.

"Never mind the small talk. You need to back off, now. You've hurt her enough," said Danny, his hands starting to glow green.

"Or what?" asked Vlad, smirking, "You'll blast me with..." A green beam of ectoplasmic energy hit him square in the chest, knocking him away from them.

"Hmm... you've improved. A bit faster, a bit stronger..." said Vlad, brushing himself off. He suddenly found Danny's fist in his face, which flipped him over in midair. He held his nose. That had HURT!

He shot a red beam of energy at Danny, which he deflected with his shield. Ember did her best to stay behind Danny.

"Why are you wasting time protecting her?" asked Vlad, "She and all her kind are nothing but slaves to you and me! Didn't you see how easily I called her to me?"

"Yeah, I saw. And it sickened me. It's just another reason I'll never be your apprentice"  
replied Danny.

"Oh, you will be," said Vlad, turning serious, his red eyes glowing brighter, "I'm the only one you can turn to."

Down below, the Ghost Assault Vehicle pulled into the park, stopping below the combatants. Jack Fenton got out, followed by Maddie and Jazz. They looked up at them.

"Great Scott!" said Jack, "The reports were right! There is ghost activity here! We have to protect the people!"

"Wait, Jack," said Maddie, "Let's evaluate the situation first."

The three watched for a minute as two of the ghosts exchanged energy blasts. The third stuck close to one of them.

'That's Danny and Ember,' thought Jazz, 'But who is the other one? And where are Sam and Tuck?' She looked around, and found them standing by a tree, gazing up at the ghosts. She took off in their direction, coming behind them, hoping they wouldn't see her. Her parents never noticed she was gone.

"See, Jack?" said Maddie, "The one with the white hair is protecting the one with blue hair from the big one."

Jack Fenton narrowed his eyes. "Wait a minute! I know that big one!" He grabbed binoculars and took a better look. "I thought so! He was at Vlad's place! He's the one who took me over, and made me into a human meat puppet! Well, mister, here's where Jack Fenton gets his due!"

He ran into the GAV, and came out with a high-tech device looking vaguely like a bazooka. He aimed it at Vlad. "We'll get the two smaller ones later. I want that big one!"

"Well, Daniel, I see you still can't beat me, so I'm going to give you a choice," said Vlad,  
"Protect the little ghost girl..." he held up his hand, and created a huge red ball of energy over it. "...or protect your human friends!" He threw the ball down toward Sam and Tucker.

"NO!" yelled Danny.

Ember turned and flew after the ball as fast as she could. "I've got it!" she shouted.

"I'll..." said Danny, balling his fists.

A blast of bright yellow energy hit Vlad, and he screamed. They both looked down.

"Jack? Maddie?" murmured Vlad, smoke drifting from his form.

"Mom? Dad?" said Danny.

Vlad started drifting away from Danny.

"This isn't over," said Danny.

"You're right, it isn't," replied Vlad, "It won't be until I've gotten what I want."

The yellow energy hit him again, shoving him away from Danny. Vlad flew off.

"We've got a runner!" shouted Jack, and dived back into the GAV, followed closely by Maddie. The vehicle revved up, and followed Vlad.

"Whew! Thanks, Mom and Dad!" he said, smiling. Suddenly he remembered Sam, Tucker, and Ember. He turned and flew down to them.

Ember flew as fast as she could after the ball of energy. She pushed herself to the limit to get there first.

Sam and Tucker backed away from the approaching danger, and tripped over the fallen log they had been sitting on. There was no way to avoid being hit by the ball. They closed their eyes and put their arms over their heads.

Jazz had been watching from behind a tree on the other side of the grove. She turned away so the tree was between them and her, and closed her eyes.

Ember passed the ball, and flew into its path just two yards from Sam and Tucker. There was a soundless red explosion, and the ball was gone. So was Ember.

The two humans sat up and looked around. "You okay?" asked Tucker. "Yeah. You?" replied Sam. "Uh huh. What happened?"

"I think Ember saved us," said Sam.

"You guys okay?" asked Danny, landing beside them and returning to human form.

"Seem to be," said Tucker. Sam nodded.

"That's good. Where's Ember?" Danny asked.

They all looked around. No Ember. The three of them broke up to search for her. Jazz took the cue to quickly and quietly leave the grove and the park without being seen by them.

They spent the rest of the afternoon searching for Ember, with no luck. When evening came, they reluctantly called off the search, and made their way home.

When Danny got home he found his parents excitedly discussing the ghost chase. The big one had gotten away, and they had no luck finding the little ones. "But the next time they show up, we'll be ready!" said Jack.

It made Danny sad, and he went up to his room. Jazz's eyes followed him with sympathy, but she didn't say anything.

They resumed the search Sunday morning at first light, and spent another day looking. As the sun drew toward the western horizon, they met back at the grove. "Ember's Grove" Tucker christened it, and the name stuck.

They sat on the fallen log and sighed.

"We've covered the entire park thoroughly," said Sam, "And we should have found her."

"Yeah," added Tucker, I can't imagine what happened to her."

"If she were around, my Ghost Sense would have gone off," said Danny, "But it hasn't."

"Maybe she's back in the Ghost Zone," said Sam.

"Maybe, but I doubt it," said Danny, "There wasn't any sign of a portal."

There was a long silence.

Tears rolled down Sam's cheeks. "I... I think we'd better consider the possibility that she's gone for good."

"I didn't want to say that, but you're right. That was a big ball of energy he sent," said Danny. "Since it didn't get you two, and she had gone after it, it must have gotten her."

"She sacrificed herself for us," said Tucker, softly, and began to cry.

Danny hung his head for a minute, then put his arm around Sam. She leaned to him, and cried on his shoulder. He held her, and cried silently.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six 

Time passed, and hope dwindled.

Danny fought various ghosts, and questioned the ones who could talk about Ember. With the exception of Technus, none of them could, or would, help. Technus confessed that he had devised her guitar for her, but hadn't seen her since.

Sam left said guitar and music sheets where they were in her room. She couldn't bear to put them away. It would be like giving up, she said.

Jazz tried to get Danny to talk about it, but had no luck. She was hard-pressed not to reveal she knew his secret, but managed.

They moped around school until Mr. Lancer noticed. Finding out they had lost a close friend, he assigned them to grief counselling, which helped.

One Saturday, they met at Ember's Grove. It had been a month since she was destroyed. Being there made them sad, but they missed her.

"Wait until I get my hands on him..." Danny muttered.

Tucker had her album on his MP3 player, and turned it on, and while it played, they all thought of her.

"We love you, Ember," said Sam, softly.

"We love you, Ember," echoed Tucker and Danny.

Suddenly Danny's Ghost Sense went off. He looked around the grove, but saw nothing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tucker and Sam jump a bit.

"Uh, D-Danny?" said Sam, looking at something.

"What?" he replied, looking at her.

She pointed at the ground, where a pair of green-glowing, pale hands were sticking out of the ground. The fingers were waving around. A few more inches of the arms slowly appeared.

The three of them looked closely. "Those are girl hands!" said Sam, "Maybe...?" She tried to grab one, but could not.

"I'm going ghost!" said Danny, and changed. He stepped over to them, and found he could grasp them. He began to pull up, and the ghost responded by rising from the ground. Sam and Tucker could only watch as a familiar form was revealed. Ember. When her feet were free of the ground, he let her go, and she slowly collapsed to her knees and fell forward to her hands.

Her blue hair was loose, falling in her face. Most of her body was covered in green ectoplasm, but nothing else. She was shivering.

Sam grabbed the picnic blanket and draped it over her, pulling it around her. Ember grasped the blanket to keep it on, but did not look at Sam. Her eyes were closed. She continued to shiver.

The three humans knelt beside her. Danny and Tucker hesitantly put their hands on her back, and gently rubbed. Sam took Ember's chin in her hand, and lifted her head to look in her face.

"Ember?" asked Sam softly, "Are you okay?"

Ember opened her eyes, which were the same electric green as always, and looked at Sam. There was no hint of recognition. She looked at Danny and Tucker, who smiled weakly at her. She looked back at Sam, confused. She reached out with her free hand and touched Sam, then did the same to the boys.

"Your heat..." she murmured, "You're all alive...humans... and I'm so cold..." She gathered the blanket tighter. "I'm a ghost. Aren't you afraid of me?" she said.

"We're your friends, Ember, don't you remember us?" said Tucker.

"Friends..." Ember echoed, looking at them. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "So very tired..." she murmured.

"Now THAT we can help!" said Tucker, grinning. "Ready? One, two, three..."

"EmBER! EmBER! EmBER!" they chanted.

Ember's hair waved, and started to grow. The ghost girl looked up in amazement. "You're giving me power... because you want to... it feels familiar..."

"EmBER! EmBER! EmBER!"

"Wait-- I DO know you!" she looked at them. "Danny, T-Tucker, and, and... S-s-sam! I remember! I remember!" She sat up straight. "I'm feeling a lot better," she said. There was a flash, and she was wearing her "goth" outfit again. Her hair was pulled up into its usual ponytail again. She grinned and stood up, and the others did the same. She dropped the blanket, spread her hands and looked at them. "I'm baaaack..."

At the sight of their friend returned, good as new, the anxiety that Danny, Sam, and Tucker had felt became joy. Ember's hair flared up, as new power flowed into her, and she revelled in it.

"Thank you, my friends!" she said, and gathered them into a group hug. "Mmmm... that heat feels so good. I'm not as cold as I was..."

A minute later they settled back on the log.

"So tell us what happened to you," said Sam.

Ember was silent for a minute, then said, "When that red ball exploded, it destroyed most of my ectoplasm. What was left of me got pushed under ground."

Danny looked at Sam and Tucker. "That means it wouldn't have hurt you two. It's like he knew Ember would try to stop it. It was a trap for her."

"That... big jerk," said Sam. Tucker nodded. "Sorry, go on," added Sam.

"Somewhere below is an underground river. I don't know how far down, but I found it by drifting into it. I stayed in it and regenerated my ectoplasm. That took a long time."

"It's been a month," said Sam.

"I didn't leave the river, because I had no memory of anything other than it. You've no idea how endlessly dark and cold it is down there." Ember shivered. "Also, I had very little energy, and no prospect of getting more."

She looked at her friends. "Then, a little while ago, I faintly felt emotions about me.  
It wasn't much, but it did give me a little energy. I followed in the direction it was coming from, and found the surface."

She looked down, embarrassed. "You all really care about me. I'm just a ghost; less than nothing. And yet you were mourning for me. You missed me. I can't begin to tell you what that means to me."

"We're your friends," said Tucker, "And friends care about each other."

Sam stood up. "Let's go home," she said, "Your guitar and music are waiting for you."

"Okay," said Ember, and stood as well. Danny and Tucker followed suit.

"Before we go, I do have a question," said Tucker.

The other three looked at him. He pulled out the CD of Ember Live, and asked, "Can I have your autograph?"

Their laughter rang through the grove. The four of them left for home, happily updating Ember on what had happened while she was gone.

And for a little while, all was well in Amity Park.

The End.

Author's Note

Ever since I first saw "Fanning the Flames", I wondered where Ember had come from. All those concerts and the preparations for them cost money, so it was logical to me for Vlad to be behind it. It was a test for Danny, like giving Valerie her ghost hunting equipment.

I think Ember is a wonderful character, and have been surprised that few people have written fanfics about her so far. I prefer she not be evil, so I had to find a reason for her actions in FTF. "Power corrupts" seemed like a good idea. She may seem slightly out of character here, but for some reason, my version of her has a bit of a submissive streak. Danny, Sam, and Tucker are also the first friends she remembers, and they are important to her, and she's not willing to risk their friendship.

The developing close friendship between Sam and Ember was not planned, but seemed reasonable. They will become even closer friends in the next story.

This was my first Danny Phantom fanfic, but not be my last. I have an idea for a longer continuation of the situations set up here:

Ember's Quest

Ember has no memory of her life as a human, and wants to find out about it. They learn much more than they bargained on when they discover that for the safety of the entire Ghost Zone, Ember must never know about her past! The spell the Dairy King gave her will come into play, and several ghosts (notably Desiree) will have parts.

I'm afraid it will be a while before this is posted, though. I think there are far too many unfinished stories on , and I have a personal policy of not posting before a story is finished.

Thank you to all my reviewers! Such egoboo is nice to get!

Robert Teague January 2005


End file.
